OSHA cites companies in deadly Quincy crane collapse

January 13, 2009 03:27 PM Email| Comments (5)| Text size – +

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

Federal workplace safety regulators have issued citations against two companies for the August accident in which a giant crane collapsed during dismantling at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, killing one worker and injuring three others.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said it had issued “serious citations” to Norsar LLC, the contractor overseeing the dismantling, and Sarens, the subcontractor that owned and operated the jacking system used to support the crane during the dismantling process.

Robert Harvey, 28, a Quincy native who had recently married and moved to Weymouth, was killed in the accident.

An inspection following the Aug. 14, 2008 accident found that Norsar and Sarens had deviated from the original dismantling plan, deciding to dismantle the 3,000-ton crane’s 160-foot-long legs in single units, rather than in two 80-foot sections, OSHA said in a statement.

The deviation from the plan “exposed employees to crushing and struck-by hazards due to inadequate planning, failure to control movement, and failure to assure the structural stability of the leg during its removal. ... The two companies also failed to avoid or minimize employees’ presence in the danger zone,” the statement said.

"The issue here for OSHA is they did not adequately plan or work out the process when they changed" course and decided on the new method of dismantling the leg, said OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald.

The two contractors and a third, Daniel Marr and Son Co., were also cited for exposing the workers, who were near water, to drowning and fall hazards because of a lack of guardrails, personal flotation devices, life vests, rescue skiffs, and fall protection.

Norsar was issued five citations with $35,000 in proposed fines; Sarens was issued three citations with $21,000 in fines; and Marr was issued four citations with $12,000 in fines.

Paula Wiles, human resources manager at Daniel Marr, workplace violations by the company were found but they were “general housekeeping issues” that “weren’t related to the cause of the accident or the accident itself.”

A Norsar spokeswoman didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment. The Sarens offices in Belgium were closed.

The companies have 15 business days from the receipt of the citations to meet with OSHA or contest them before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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5 comments so far...

All these companies were cutting corners to try and save time and money - placing on site employees at risk. The potential risk turned into reality and one man is dead as a result. Those in charge should be criminally charged with manslaughter.

Posted by bert f. January 13, 09 03:15 PM

If all that safety equipment had been in the bid and but not in the bid specification, then they would not have gotten the job and somebody else would with maybe the same result. The bid specification was deficent. Who pays for that error? The owner should have verified that proper safety was included. Who pays for that error? Low bid means the minimum to get by. All this needs to change to Qualification Based negotiations, not just low cost.

Posted by Pat January 13, 09 04:29 PM

Safety is part of the bid...that is why OSHA is in place...safety is a factor is always added in...come on guys....

Posted by jojo January 13, 09 05:27 PM

Why doesn't something such as a dismantling of a crane this size get the attention of OSHA before dismantling? After all you must call DigSafe before you dig a hole anywhere or you must contact the town before installing a dishwasher. Why is it that OSHA only becomes aware after the fact? We need a system in effect now to protect us before OSHA like an independent, qualified crane dismantling, division that must be notfied before any such work in started both in the beginning and the taking down as the job is completed. We need to get our act together. The families deserve to see their loved ones at the end of the day!

Posted by Pauline Camillo January 13, 09 05:31 PM

The entire Regional OSHA office has less than 50 people! Businesses will cut every corner to make a buck! The OSHA fines should be increases 10 fold - only then people will pay attention.

The fine for this accident was less than 60K.

Many of the OSHA regulations has not been updated in 30+ years. The worker killed was only 28.

Posted by Mark January 13, 09 10:33 PM